Home / Health / Ozempic Users Quit: Study Reveals Start-Stop Drug Habits
Ozempic Users Quit: Study Reveals Start-Stop Drug Habits
15 Jun
Summary
- About 40% of patients stop GLP-1 drugs within one year.
- Over half of those who stop medications restart within a year.
- Nausea and GI side effects increase drug discontinuation rates.
New findings suggest a significant number of patients stop taking popular GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Zepbound, and then resume them later. Research presented on June 15, 2026, based on insurance records from over 60,000 Americans with type 2 diabetes, revealed that about 4 in 10 patients discontinued their GLP-1 medication within the first year. By the end of two years, nearly 6 in 10 had stopped.
Encouragingly, not all discontinuations are permanent. More than half of patients who stopped their GLP-1 therapy restarted within a year, and nearly two-thirds did so within two years. This indicates a pattern of intermittent use rather than outright abandonment for many. Factors such as Medicaid or Medicare coverage, being Black, and experiencing gastrointestinal side effects like nausea were linked to higher discontinuation rates.
Prescribing endocrinologists and using newer drugs like tirzepatide or semaglutide were associated with lower rates of stopping the medication. Consistent use of these drugs is crucial for their protective effects against complications like heart attacks and kidney disease. Preliminary findings indicate that stopping early could lead to missed opportunities for preventing serious health issues.
